Marcus Dupree was one of the most sought after College Football recruits in the history of College Football. He was so heavily recruited that a book was written about his recruitment. Willie Moriss's book entitled: The Courting of Marcus Dupree. At 6'2" and 225 pounds, Marcus was a runaway freight train. In his very 1st play in high school, as a freshman, he returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown. From there the legend grew, and by the time he was a Senior, he was the most sought after player in the entire country.
You may remember Bo Jackson, Herschel Walker, Mike Rozier, Marcus Allen, and George Rogers from early '80's RB fame. But the most talented of all of them very well may have been Marcus Dupree.
I'll let his highlights speak for themselves. In his only college season, and as a freshman, Marcus Dupree was named 1st Team All Big-8 and 2nd Team All-American. These videos will probably tell you why:
After only 1 season and 3 games, Marcus and the Sooners parted ways. Shortly thereafter, Marcus was in the USFL at the tender age of 19, and at the age of 21 upon suffering a brutal knee injury Marcus's football career was all but over.
Barry Switzer still claims to this day that Marcus Dupree was the most talented football player to ever set foot on campus at Oklahoma. Billy Sims, Greg Pruitt, Adrian Peterson, and the Selmon brothers included. Ask any Sooner fan if they remember Marcus, and you'll probably see a twinkle in their eye, and something muttered such as "What could have been......".
When I was 12 years old I had the pleasure of witnessing Marcus 1st hand. The Sooners visited Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE to play my beloved Huskers. After watching Marcus's 86 yard TD jaunt, I don't know that I can disagree with Mr. Switzer's opinion. That jaunt is part of the YouTube video.
Marcus Dupree......"What could have been.........", and arguably the most talented RB in the history of College Football.
This guy was good, real good... Too bad he quit school. I hope he got some decent guaranteed money out of the USFL deal but I'm afraid we've seen this story before and Dupree ends up with nothing after the promises and his body both ran out...
One refreshing thing in the videos that just stood out to me, there was no hot dogging and no "Look at me" displays that we see after virtually every play these days...
Nos - he was definately a STUD! Me thinks he figured he was going to get by on talent and talent alone. Leg problems hobbled him at OU and there were some other issues which leads us Sooner fans to sigh and think, "What could have been..." Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I remember him. Enough flash and elusiveness to make him exciting and power to spare- more than enough to put the fear into any foe. At that time, the benchmarks I had for comparison were Earl Campbell and Tony Dorsett, and to me, he was a combo of both (more like 70-30 Earl to Tony ratio). Nos/Dwindy/gcoach- You guys probably remember better than me, but I believe he immediately preceded Jamelle Holloway and the "wishbone wars" between OU and Nebraska (PS- the Red River rivalry gets a lot of pub, but I yearn for that OU/Nebraska rivalry of my youth to heat up again- as a Big 12 outsider, that's the one that really gets my juices flowing).
TSI - OU-Nebraska...back when they played every year and it usually had NC implications every year. Yea...that was what college football was all about. Now they don't play every year so while the true Sooner-Cornhusker fan gets up for it...the rest of the country seems to kind of yawn through it. Plus they both have had their down sides since those days. Stoops brought OU back...maybe the same will eventually be said of Pelini at Nebraska. As for Dupree, Switzer wasn't shy about questioning his work ethic...in public or in person...and that and some physical issues that Switzer blamed on his lack of enthusiasm for training led to his demise at OU. After 2 years (or 1 year and 3 games as NOS put it) at OU he transferred to somewhere like Southern Mississippi but, if I'm accurate, the NCAA said no so he ended up in the USFL. But, man, he could flat out play. Switzer loved the talent but not so much the work ethic. I can't stand the wait..."Let's play some freakin' football!"
Who??? Good post Nost and its a look at another great athlete who had his career cut short by a catastrophic injury. You never want to see anyone let alone a great athlete like him have that happen.
I remember him well. There was another one a few years earlier at Texas A&M who could have been great as well, Curtis Dickey. Don't remember what happened to him offhand.
Ricko Nope, Marcus was the best I've ever seen, you stinking bastage. Curtis Dickey, was good, and yes I recall the name. I posted Marcus Dupree. Curtis Dickey couldn't hold his jock. Much less the rest of the studs at the time.
I know Dupree was much better, but Dickey was also a "can't miss". Unfortunately with Dupree, it goes back to the landscape of college football at the time. Especially at the big time schools like Oklahoma.
Actually, very much thanks for stopping by. And YES, I hate you for making me think. I try, but you are very much better at it than though. Thank you for stopping by and keeping me in line. It si still fargin' war.
I was a season ticket holder for the Portland Breakers and Dupree was our star. People don't know how good he could have been, one (if not the) best I've ever seen.
You may remember Bo Jackson, Herschel Walker, Mike Rozier, Marcus Allen, and George Rogers from early '80's RB fame. But the most talented of all of them very well may have been Marcus Dupree. 
